Dirty Dozen 2022: Pandemic Related Scams

             Criminals are often adjusting their tactics to confuse people about what they are really after. Other times, they will stick to what works. This is the case with scams related to the pandemic. Here are a few of the more common frauds that have been used in the past 2 years and continue to be seen. Your personal information is like cash, don’t just give it away to anyone.

          Fake charities. This has always been a problem, but it grows when there is a crisis or tragedy. Criminals play on a person’s desire to help. Keep in mind that a legitimate charity will never pressure you into giving a donation. They will be happy to receive one at any time and will expect you to do your research. A legitimate charity will not ask for payment by gift card or by wire transfer. This is a hallmark of how scammers operate.

          Fake job offers online. Many people who lost their jobs due to the pandemic were eager to get back to work again. Some applied to offers they saw on social media. These were fake and allowed criminals to gain access to the personal financial information of their victims. This can lead to multiple problems, including the filing of fraudulent tax returns.

          Unemployment income fraud. Many who lost their jobs because of the pandemic were able to receive unemployment compensation for a time from their state. Criminals saw an opportunity here as well. They would file fraudulent claims using stolen personal information and collect the income for themselves. Taxpayers need to pay close attention to what their Form 1099-G says. If it reports more than what they received, or they are sent one when they never filed for unemployment, there is a chance that their identity has been stolen.

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